Sweet Waters Throne

62 Chapter 6The royal wedding ended with peace and prosperity, or at least that’s how the guests chronicled it. Finally, Artemis Arteides and Aurora Kholin were as the septa announced them “One heart, one soul and one body” and they sealed their union with a kiss.

Celebrations followed afterwards and they all gathered at the gardens where music and fun was waiting for them. The knights of the kingsguard surrounded the whole place in the watch of the king and his guests. Musicians played their best pieces and most of them were soothingly comfortable.

Aurora and Artemis sat close together in the main stage, couldn’t take their eyes off each other and all the time Artemis teased Aurora that he couldn’t wait to consummate their wedding which Aurora gladly replied she was eager to see him perform his best.

A huge pie was brought in front of the stage and everyone cheered, the scullions led by Mrs Gibbilis were all smiling and happy to see their friend Aurora rising above her station and securing herself a title “Queen of Maldonia” while others envied her success.

The pie was cut by Artemis and Aurora in unison together, they ate it first with smiles on their lips and then the whole parade of their guests were fed the pie too. Everyone seemed to be in such a good mood, even Princess Sansa the Hand’s wife was unexpectedly happy. She stood close to a charming knight in his shining armor and she was laughing at his jokes.

The one who wasn’t happy and nor did she make an effort of hiding it was Princess Aeryn. Her envious and dark soul corrupted her happiness and she found herself hating Aurora more than anything.

Lord Akirbus was well informed by Lord Balrus of the princess’s feelings towards the newly-weds. He was concerned but also he knew Aeryn ever since she was a young girl, hence when everyone was distracted with the music and the fest ivies.

Lord Akirbus walked to the seat where Princess Aeryn was and sat beside her. “Can I help you my lord?” That was the princess’s way of saying I don’t want you here, can you go away?

However, Lord Akirbus refused to leave “Is there anything I can do to help you princess?” he asked softly.

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“No” replied the princess taking another glass of strong wine.

“You drink more than you used to”

“What are you, my father?”

Princess Aeryn was rather bitter towards Lord Akirbus and she wasn’t bothered nor cared for his feelings. To her, Lord Akirbus was an extension of Balrus, Degon, Angun and anyone close to her brother.

Just before Akirbus added another sentence, Princess Aeryn suddenly hoped up to her feet and left the celebrations without the king’s permission. No one seemed to notice tho, except master of the spies Lord Balrus whose eyes and ears were all over the place just listening and observing.

The king rose from his seat “I want to make a toast” he said to his loyal subjects. The crowd went silence ready to listen to their king. “A toast to my beautiful wife, Aurora the blessed” and then claps and cheers engulfed the whole place.

A smile escaped on Aurora’s lips as Artemis continued “She has stood by my side for years. The good ones and bad ones, I just don’t see myself spending this thing called wretched life with anyone aside from her. Cursed be he, who would dare to tear us asunder” he finished.

The crowd clapped again for the king, “hear, hear” could be heard amongst the people. Then Artemis took his seat and kissed Aurora, from there the wedding celebrations continued.

That night was said to be the lustful night by those who witnessed the bedding ceremony. Lord Balon himself disrobed Artemis and led him to his chambers, Aurora was there with the Blessed Sisters. The Blessed Sisters were the group of women who worked in preparing a bride for the bedding ceremony.

They usually shaved pubic hairs from the bride, bathe her in scented flowers, teach her of the ways of pleasing a man and after the bedding ceremony, they act as the witnesses to spread word that the king has consummated the wedding.

Aurora went on to become the best student to ever be taught by the Blessed Sisters for she did all what she was taught to do. Artemis was rather so pleased that day unlike any other days, the sex felt different for both of them. Even though Aurora thought she wouldn’t take the stares of the Blessed Sisters, half way through the act she grew comfortable and delivered all she had.

The reason they both felt good that day was rumored it was because Aurora was in her ovulation days. Artemis wasn’t aware of all that but Aurora knew that night will lead to something, and perhaps that’s something could come in the form of a son.

When the Blessed Sisters left the chambers after they witnessed the consummating, Aurora and Artemis continued again and again till it was late at night and they both fell asleep between each other’s arms.

The thought of giving Artemis a son charmed Aurora, she knew he will be the happiest man alive. Artemis always talked about wanting children and the joy of being a father, she thought she better get into it then. Hence she seduced Artemis again in the morning to have his seeds inside her, and she gladly accepted them and prepared herself for a son.

Things weren’t as joyful and calm in Prophis as they were in Blackmount. The whole kingdom was getting ready for battle and the bells were ringing five times every morning. A total of three hundred thousand men on the king’s side, one hundred thousand warhorses and mighty ten lions.

Not to mention the gods were just by making the lands dry with no sign of rain. The battles fought in rains are usually lost, that’s because the land becomes soft and muddy. The warhorses usually struggle when the land is soft, but until King Castellan and his companions joined Lord Gandalf’s men at the battlefield, it hadn’t rained not even once.

The journey from the capital of Prophis to the border took a week of marching in the cold. Lord Gandalf complained how cold Prophis was and Lord Aubrel made a joke “Lucky for you when this is all over you will be back at the comfort of your warm lands in Old City, we will have to keep enduring the cold”

Lord Gandalf smiled and only if Lord Aubrel knew the young man planned to take over Prophis, then perhaps he would have done something about it. But they kept moving with a lot of one hundred and fifity thousand Prophisian knights loyal to Castellan Taelin.

It is when they reached the battlefield when they found Lord Gandalf’s men, all one hundred and fifty thousand of them and from there the army was as one. For an army that huge and strong, Castellan needed to speak to them on his horseback while pacing around the lines.

Castellan was good with words they say, just like his father. He knew the right words to say and the words to omit, he knew the ways of the war for he’s fought wars all his lives. King Taelin, his father had built the kingdom of Prophis with blood of those who defied him, and it was wars he fought and alongside him was Castellan.

Gandalf himself was amused by Castellan’s way of ruling and charmed by his words, he was however sad to see him put to sword as soon as the war ended. While Castellan spent most of his time addressing his army and giving the hopes and promises as they waited for Lucian Mithandir to arrive, let’s say Gandalf was on a mission of his own.

The generals of Old City army, Sir Horpes Godwen, Sir Criston High Rise and Sir Ruins Tully all loyal to Gandalf and House Old City had different orders from Gandalf. He instructed them “None of my men will fight in the vanguard” said Gandalf. “You will lay your weapons behind the Prophisians, I prefer twenty lines before you align yourselves”

“Wouldn’t that look suspicious my lord?” asked Sir Horpes Godwen, a tall and very strong swordsman and a very experienced knight whose won tens of tourneys.

“You may put some on the front, twenty thousand perhaps but that’s it. That’s the only number of men I can afford to lose” said Gandalf looking suspiciously serious.

His generals were alerted and they asked why, he just simply replied “Make sure when the rebels are all dead, you turn on them and kill them all. Leave the king to me” that was the first time Lord Gandalf plainly said his plans towards Prophis.

His generals knew better than to defy him or even to speak out loud. He promised them wagonloads filled with strong wines, sweet meats and all the whores they can fuck the first night they will enter Prophis.